MySwimPro

USA Triathlon Coaching Clinic

The first modern swim, bike, run event was held at Mission Bay, San Diego, California on September 25, 1974. Since then, the sport of Triathlon has grown substantially and is now an internationally participated in fitness event with a professionalized competition circuit!

Adam and I recently traveled to Santa Monica, California to participate in a coaches education clinic put on by USA Triathlon, the national governing body for Triathlon in the United States. We were excited to learn from the best triathlon coaches in the world on how to best coach athletes in a multi-sport training environment: swim, bike, run. The clinic was held at TriFitLA – a beautiful boutique fitness center in Santa Monica.

USA Triathlon Curriculum

The two-day course was lead by Ian Murray and Brian Grasky, both USA Triathlon certified coaches and highly regarded as two of the best triathlon coaches in the world. They shared their knowledge in a structured format with indoor classroom lectures and outdoor practicals for swim, bike and run technique. USA Triathlon offers coaches certification programs at Level I and progresses to Level III with four speciality concentrations.

The curriculum was rich and the training methodology was supported by research and historical experience by the best triathlon coaches in the world. Coming from an elite swim coaching background, it was great to see a methodical approach to building a training progression, technique and personalization. The biggest asset any coach can offer is their ability to listen to their athlete(s) and help them reach their goals.


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The Science Behind Triathlon Training

Beyond the swimming, biking, and running technique practicals that Ian Murray overviewed, the course did a deep dive on the science behind creating a well-rounded triathlon training program. Brian Grasky lead this portion of the clinic and overviewed the mechanics behind energy systems, aerobic training, super-compensation, strength training, and the importance of monitoring systems with athletes. We also discussed nutrition and race fuel management.

Additionally, Brian overviewed the mechanics training load management and the details of specific workouts for swim, bike, and run. My favorite part of the clinic was when we broke into groups and each group was promoted to create personalized training plans for athletes with a diverse set of goals and physical limitations. We then were able to share our training plans with the rest of the class and learn from each other. This feedback, communication and networking is one of the cornerstones of what makes the triathlon coaching community special and why we’re excited to serve this market.

Growing the Sport of Triathlon

Every year, millions of triathletes compete in a multitude of triathlons held around the world. The Ironman triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, may be triathlon’s most recognizable event, but the olympic distance is the sport’s most popular. The 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run is triathlon’s international standard and the format used at the ITU Triathlon World Championship, Pan American games and olympic games.

We believe there is a large opportunity to help people reach their triathlon training goals and deliver a personalized coaching experience for athlete’s who may not have access to or afford a 1:1 triathlon coach. This is why we launched MyTriPro. Since launching MySwimPro, we’ve had the opportunity to help hundreds of thousands of swimmers and triathletes swim smarter than ever before. We’ve conducted deep research on the triathlon industry and developed an algorithm that dynamically creates a personalized training plan for any distance triathlon.

About The USA Triathlon Coaches Clinic

USA Triathlon offers a variety of coaching certification clinics where triathletes can learn more about their sport, how to properly coach others, maintain a safe environment in the sport and network with fellow coaches. The USA Triathlon Coaching Certification program begins at Level I and progresses to Level III and offers four specialty certifications; Youth & Junior, Youth & Junior Elite, Level II Endurance and Paratriathlon. Clinics are held throughout the country.

USA Triathlon provided benefits of becoming a Certified Coach include:

If you have any questions about what it’s like to attend the USA Triathlon coaches clinic or the triathlon training app, MyTriPro, please shoot me an email: fares@mytripro.com!

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